New Baby?
by L.C. blip
Summary: Everyone knows that Fayt has feelings for Albel. Will a new roommate help Albel to realize them? Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

( Fayt's POV )

We were just walking along, you know, trying to stay out of trouble, but you know that if Albel and Cliff are in the same proximity, we are anything but. So, all I can do is just sit back and watch.

" You know what Albel? " Cliff says.

"What, maggot?"

"If you weren't such a tight arse, and just loosened up a little you could, quite possibly, get laid. A little advice from me to you."

"Why would I take advice from a fool who probably has more diseases than an ill prostitute?"

This is when it starts. Cliff will tackle Albel, they will roll around fighting, calling each other names, and then Adray will finally come and break them up. On average, it only takes about two sentences to start a fight with them.

OK now that we have that under controll, we can continue our trek to Kirlsa! You see we need to train. And I'll tell you why; Cliff-I can easily beat now, Maria-beaten, Nel-beaten, Rodger-too young, Pepita-too young and she likes to kick at areas that are only supposed to be treated nicely, Adray complains that he's too old, and then there's Albel.

Albel likes closer combat, because of his sword. Most of the time when we fight its close combat, almost hand to hand, and I get very nervous that I'll do something stupid.

'What is this something stupid?' you ask? I'm scared my hormones won't listent to me, and he'll see or worse because of his STUPID hand to hand combat!!!!

. . . Yes, I'm gay (as if you couldn't tell)

. . . And yes, I really like Albel

. . . Also, just so you know, all of the girls in our group (Nel, Sophia, Maria, Mirage) know about my 'problem' and think it's _cute._

I didn't think that they would all be so supportive and open-minded. Of course I don't tell them all of the things I tell Sophia, but I'm sure she tells them some of it. She was the first person I told when I was certain of my feelings for a certain psychopathic warrior.

Which brings me to my next point. Ok, you see, I tell her (more like she tortures me until I tell) whenever I have a dream about him.

My newest dream has already been deemed as 'wet' in her own little world.

"C'mon Fayt, you know you wanna tell me!"

"Sophia, it's not a wet dream ok? There are no 'juicy' bits! Even if there were, I wouldn't tell you."

There was a pause, and a very smug, self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"Fayt?" she said, looking too innocent for her own good. "What happened in one you had about a week and a half ago? Didn't he do unrepeatable things to you with his mouth? Or did he skip the teasing this time and just slam right-"

While she was bringing it up, I was rapidly loosing color in my face.

I. Hate. Her.

Well only sometimes. But COME ON!!! We're in PUBLIC! You don't talk about 'those' in PUBLIC! You just don't _do_ that.

But she's right. I will end up telling her, so I might as well get it over with.

"Ok, but its not juicy." I say. At this point, I wish I could crawl into a hole.

"Who cares! What did he do this time??" she exclaimed.

"Alright, alright. From what I can remember I'm standing in water up to my knees and right when I was about to fall, he comes up and wraps his arms around me, and says he'll never let me fall."

I close my eyes and let myself drift back into the dream. . . It really was great, until my friend broke the silence with her squee of delight.

"THAT IS SOOOO CUTE!! Why don't you ask him out? Or at least tell him how you feel! I mean, come on Fayt, you _are_ the only one who can share a room with him."

"Do you want me to die?!?! I can't just go up to him and say ' hey Albel, I think you're hot and I would appreciate it if you could screw me into the floor boards. He would Kill me!"

She just stares at me with a look that says 'ok your point is. . . '

"What?! I want to live to see twenty." I say.

"But Fayt-"

"NO!!"

"Fine, but you're being a wussy." she said, and walked away.

She doesn't get it. I want to tell him, but when you care about someone as i do about him it's not that easy. I want to be his whole world, I want him to be happy even if it's not with me, I want him to not have to act so tough all the time...Now, since she brought up a dream, as she put it I was so loud that she has ' no idea how Albel couldn't hear me', I have to go take a cold shower now. . . I'm sure you know why.

--------------

Now since I'm out, dry, and normal I go to find Pepita. I promised her we would explore the vilage.

When we got into the busy part of the town, where all the shops were, she dragged me into every clothing, insence, and pet shop we came across. But then she just stopped.

"Do you hear that, Fayt?"

I stopped too and listened for something different from the hustle and bustle from all the people shopping. I finally found what she was listening to.

"Yeah, it sound like someone's crying."

"Lets go see if they're OK!" she said, and ran off toward the wailing.

"Pepita wait! Don't run off like that!"

"They're in trouble Fayt! C'mon!"

We sprinted into a tiny alley that was tucked away from the outside world. There was nothing in it except for a few boxes and stray animlas. The crying had softened to whimpers. Pepita walked to a smaller box and lifted the lid.

"Fayt?"

"Yeah? Whats wrong?"

I walked over to see what she had picked up. She kept her back to me until I touched her shouler. "What's wrong Pepita?"

She turned to me with the smaller bundle in her arms and smiled brightly at me. "Can we keep her?"

"Pepita, thats a baby. We cant care for a baby while we're looking for Luther."

"But she's all alone with nobody to take care of her."

"But-"

"And if we dont take her back to the ship, I'll tell Sophia that you left her to die!" she said, she was still smiling.

Everyone think that she's an innocent little girl, but she can be as sadistic as the man i share a room with, so I stopped to think on that. Now that I knew it was a baby, I would feel bad about leaving it alone. And what if the mother of father wasnt comming back? Not to mention Sophia would kill me for leaving it here.

"Fine." I said, she giggled. "Lets go back."

(Author's POV)

Albel went into the room that he and Fayt shared, only to find himgone. This wasn't a surprise, but what _was_ strange, is that there was a bag of diaper on the bed that Fayt had claimed as his, and a note promising that Fayt would explain later.

(Albel's POV)

I left the room that the bluenette worm and I shared to demand why there were _diapers_ in the room. Needless to say I found him in the galley.(He spends more time there than is healthy.). And guess what was with him? A baby.

Not a newborn that would only wake up to get fed then go back to sleep. A small toddler, who cries at everything.

I walk up to him and DEMAND to know why it is with _him_ and not with the females of the little band that follows him around.

"Well, I- um, see they thought-"

Hn. He's stuttering. He's looks even more feminine than he usually does. I think he would be the girl in any relationship, even if he was with a girl.

I stare at him, expecting him to finish the sentence but when his stuttering continues, I turn and head in the direction of our room.

As I reach the door of the Galley, he finally finishes.

"They said that since I found it I have to take care of it!" I don't feel like deeling with him and his lecture about how I am going to have to be less violent now, so I pretend I don't hear, and keep walking.

As I was seething about the new arrival to the room I walked passed the female klausian and the stupid human girl. Normally I wouldn't care, but this time I heard my name so I stopped to listen.

"-really think that making the baby Albel and Fayt's roomate is smart?" the blonde said.

"Well I hope so, but you know Fayt won't let him do anything to it."

"Speaking of Fayt, has he told Albel yet?"

"No, not yet. I wish he would though."

"…Hey! Why don't we tell Albel for Fayt?"

"I don't think that he would want us to blab his secret to the one he wants to keep it from."

"But he'll miss his chance-"

"I know," the brown-haired girl said, " but it's his choice, not ours."

I hear I chair grate over the floor of the room, and decide to take my leave, and make a mental note to ask the bluenette what they meant.

(Fayt's POV)

THAT EVIL, SELF-ABSORBED, EGOTISTICAL, ARROGANT, hot MAN!!!

I _know_ that he heard me, but he still WALKED OFF!!

Oh well.

I still can't believe everyone is making _me_ take care of her. Yes, the kid is a girl. And you know what gets me? Sophia and all the girls know of my little 'problem'.

. . . Oh well. At least he didn't slice my head off.

And I still have to think of a name for her. We cant just go around calling her 'it' or 'baby'.

I pick her up and walk down to the observation room, where Maria is sure to be. Maybe she can help me pick out a name for her. And maybe I can find Albel so I can talk to him about the new roommate too.

"Fayt! Just the guy I wanted to see."

"Hey, you need to do a check up on the baby?"

"Yep," she walks behind me an closes the door. I'm guessing we're going to talk about Albel, "How are you and Nox doing? Any progress?"

I sigh and updated her on what happened when I told him about the baby.

"Hmmm. I think this would be a perfect time for you to get closer to him. And it would do 'the Wicked One' some good to learn how to be nicer to everyone."

" Ha ha. Just because I have a baby doesn't mean that he will suddenly become this dreamy father figure like those older shows idolize."

I handed her the kid and she took her over to the table to begin her check-up. She listened to her heart, looked in her ears, the whole shebang. After Maria wrote and loaded everything on the computer she turned to me with a grim look on her face.

" You know that I have access to all of the cameras on this ship right?"

"…Yeah." I was getting nervous.

"Well, I was monitoring the reading room yesterday."

"And…" I prompted. I wanted to know where this was going.

"Sophia and Mirage were in there, talking about you and your crush."

"Uh-huh…" I was getting really nervous.

"Albel might've heard the ending of the conversation." she saw the paniced look on my face and hastily added- "He didn't hear the important parts! But he might ask you about what they were talking about and why he was mentioned in it. So, just in case, you might want to get a white lie ready and rehearse it for when he does decide to ask."

"Ok, thanks." I said, and went over to take the baby back to my room.

Back in our room I finish changing the baby and I start to work on my excuse as to why the girls might be talking about him and me.

"Oh, really? They were probably talking about fighting or they might think that I've hurt myself, you know me. Always hurting myself."

"What do you think?" I ask the little girl. But all I get as a response is her giggling and trying to grab my hand.

I smile at her. At least Albel didn't hear the important bits. And maybe if I'm lucky he'll just brush it off.

I finish diapering and dressing her and turn around as the door opens and shuts. Leaving an irritated looking samurai.

"You still have it?" he asked.

"She's not an it. She's a girl." I say. I'm _so_ hoping he doesn't ask about the conversation he overheard.

"Whatever." he started toward his bed and moved the diaper bag off of it.

"I am not going to have anything to do with this child, do you understand?"

"Yeah, I know." I answered.

"Is there something your not telling me?" he asks.

My grip on the baby tightens as he asks me the ONE question I did NOT want to hear.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." and I quickly head for the door.

I hear that chair he's sitting on move as he gets up. "Thats not the answer I wanted. I heard the Klausian woman and the one that follows you around say something about 'missing a chance' and that you have something you're not telling me. So, what is it?"

Wow...he's talkative today. I still have the baby in my arms as i turn to face him. "I can't tell you what they were saying." I say.

"Why not?"

"Because they're my secrets. And no one can know about them yet." I turn to the door and grasp the handdle.

"We still have to name her, you know." And I leave the room


	2. Chapter 2

(Author's POV)

Fayt walked down the hallway with the baby, relieved that he managed to avoid that situation. The baby was cooing lightly and trying to grab at his zipper.

"Fayt? You OK? You look kind of fidgety." Sophia asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But-," He said, "can you please make sure that no one can here you the next time you're talking to someone about me?"

She creased her bows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Albel heard you and Mirage talking and he was asking me what you two meant!" He said, "He almost heard the one thing I don't want him to hear! Ever!"

Fayt was holding the baby close and his eyes were wide with worry.

Sophia looked at her friend. She wanted him to tell Albel himself but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, she knew.

"I'm sorry Fayt, I thought we had closed the door. She wanted to know if things between you two were alright."

"It's OK, but…I really don't want him to know right now." He said with a small smile.

"OK." They walked in a friendly silence for a while before Mirage came sprinting around the corner ahead of them.

"Hey Mr. Mom, we need to find a name for that kid, Cliff is starting to get on everyone's nerves."

"How?" Fayt asked.

"He's sayin' 'How am I supposed to be a grandpa, if my grandbaby aint got no name?' Please Fayt just name the kid."

"That's what we were gonna do right now" Sophia said with a happy smile.

"OK good. I'll go tell Nell that she wont have to use the frying pan after all."

"How about Beth?"

"No, she doesn't look like a Beth."

"Well, there's Anna, Jamie, Nicole, or maybe she's a Brittany." Fayt said. They had been at this baby name stuff fro almost an hour and he was getting tired of it.

"No, she doesnt look like any of those." Sophia said

(Fayt's POV)

Why can't she just pick a name? I don't care what we call her anymore, just hurry up and pick one.

"Hey, Fayt! What about Emma? I think it fits her, so cute!"

"Yeah, that's a great name." I agree with her.

Emma huh? It _does_ fit. How can girls _always_ do that?

"Thanks for helping pick a name Sophia. I'm going to go change her now."

"OK, I'll go tell gramps the good news." She said and giggled.

She left the room and I can tell that she's happy about having a baby around. She's always loved kids…even the annoying ones. That's why she spends a lot of time with Rodger and Pepita. But I'm not saying they're annoying, if I do they would come after me with sticks and try to hit parts that are _special_.

"Ohm ptbbbbbb." Emma was trying to blow a spit bubble. It worked for a second but then it popped. She giggled and clapped her hands.

"Hey Emma," I coo at her; Sophia told me that I needed to talk softly to her at _all_ times, so I will, "let's go see your self-apposed grandpa."

She lifts her arms in the universal pick-me-up, and we go to the Galley where everyone probably is.

I walk out of the room that Sophia stays in and into the hall. Emma was busy trying to pull down the zipper at my neck when my shoulder hits something solid.

"I'm sorry!" I say quickly, as I turn to the person I hit. It's Albel.

"Hn." He says and keeps walking.

He probably still thinks that Emma's going to stay with one of the girls. He's going to have a real surprise when I come back later with her.

I haven't even fully entered the Galley before Cliff jumps up and demands to see his grandbaby.

"Let me see that little angel!" he says and I hand her to him. "Aw! She is just the sweetest little thing!"

Everyone in the Galley (me, Sophia, Nel, Maria, and Mirage) laughed at this display of femininity from him.

"What?" Cliff demanded. "I can act anyway I want to around my baby!" He is cradling her in his arm and is trying to tickle her tummy. It works, as she giggles and kicks out her legs.

"I thought it was Fayt's baby." Rodger piped in, looking over Cliff's shoulder at her.

I had never thought of Emma as _my_ baby. But, obviously, everyone else thought she was…I wish they would tell me when they have made a decision on something like this.

"Well he's the one taking care of her. But Emma is not biologically his." Maria said.

Rodger just looked at her. "Well, he's still the mommy right?"

Mommy? I'm a guy. Guy's can't be mommies. I hope they don't voice their opinion a daddy. I might scream if they do.

"Of course he's the mommy, Rodger." Nel said.

"Then who's the daddy?" Pepita asked.

Oh god! Not that question!

"Albel could be the daddy." Sophia said. Then she gave me the _look_. That look said 'you may not like it but I'm doing it for your own good…and I'm enjoying your pain. So I gave her a look saying 'thanks for killing me when Albel hears about this.'

"I think I'm going to take a bath now, a baby can really stress you out." I say and quickly leave the room.

I can't believe she did that! And it was premeditated! They were all in on it!! I walk down the hall and into the room I share with Albel and slammed the door. He was busy cleaning his weapons but was jolted from his task when I came in.

"What are you doing fool?"

"I'm a frickin mommy!" I yelled. I propelled myself onto my bed and screamed into my pillow. It's actually a good stress reliever.

"It's about time you came to terms with it." H said. I could hear the smirk in his voice. So I sat up and lifted my pillow off of my face to tell him the _other_ good news.

"Guess who the daddy is."

He lifted an eyebrow at me.

"…Who?"

"You are."

"No. I am _not _taking on another baby."

"Yes, you are. What do you mean by 'another baby'?" I said as I looked over at him.

"Just what I said."

"Well, Emma is staying with us from now on so you need to be nicer when she's around." I said.

…Wow, I'm getting pretty bold. I hope he doesn't throw something sharp at me.

"Hn." He said and gets up to leave.

"It's not like you'll have to take care of her. I'll do it. You won't even have to pretend you like her." I don't know why I'm trying to reassure him. I know he already hates her. I guess I'm doing this more for me than for him.

He doesn't say anything but leaves anyway.

"Knock, knock." It's Sophia. I get up and walk over and open the door.

"What?"

"I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to make you angry, but you need to tell him how you feel."

"I know that." I said, and sit on the edge of my bed. "I think I made a little head way earlier."

"Really? What did you say?" She asks as she sits next to me.

"He's the daddy."

She laughed and I knew she thought about it the wrong way.

"Well, at least he knows he's the dominant one now." She giggled.

"Shut up." I said and threw a pillow at her.

(Author's POV)

_That maggot is starting to grow a backbone. _Albel thought as he walked to the training lab on the Diplo. He was irked that a baby was going to be moving in but he wouldn't show it.

Albel the Wicked will not allow a baby to get the better of him.

He walked into the lab and turned on the fighting simulator. He had an urge to shed blood even if it wasn't real.

Albel slashed the first monster in half and charged at the second one. It was a larger beast that looked like a giant chicken. It lunged at him with an open beak. Its talons outstretched, ready for the kill. Albel took out three daggers and deftly threw them at the bird.

A perfect hit. Two in the eyes and one in the forehead. Now the only thing he had to do was get rid of that baby.


	3. Chapter 3

(Author's POV)

Fayt walked down the hallway to the Galley to get Emma's snack going. It was two in the morning, and he hoped that after this feeding, Emma would stay asleep through the remainder of the night.

(Earlier that night)

Fayt and Albel were sleeping. Fayt, dreaming about defeating Luther and getting back a normal-enough life; Albel, dreaming of getting revenge on Duke Vox for making his life a living hell.

"WAAAAAAAHHH!" Emma wailed. Her tiny arms and legs thrashing about.

Albel sat up in a flash, groping for his katana. But upon realizing that there was no apparent danger to his person, dropped his weapon, got up out of his warm bed and walked over to the sleeping bluenette.

"Wake up maggot." He mumbled. When there was no movement he picked up one of Fayt's boots and promptly threw it at him.

"Ow! Albel, what was that for?" Fayt asked as he rubbed the sore spot on the side of his head.

"Quiet that thing down, or move it to another room."

Fayt watched as Albel went back to his bed and flipped the covers back over himself.

"WAAAAHHH!" Emma cried again.

"Leingod! Get that child out of here!" Albel hissed.

"Hey, honey, it's OK." Fayt cooed at her, picking her up from her makeshift crib, "Don't cry, we'll go get you something to eat, then we'll change you and get you back to bed."

Emma quieted her cries, and clutched Fayt's night-shirt. He then turned to Albel.

"Don't yell, you'll upset her!" He scolded, and left the room for Emma's snack.

_He left. With the brat. __Good. __Now I can finally get some sleep. _He thought.

Albel turned onto his side with his back facing the door.

_Why does that brat get all of his attention? He used to be a somewhat decent person to talk to. Until that_ it_ came._

_Why am I letting her get to me? I couldn't be jealous of a baby that cant even walk yet, can I?_

_No, that's not possible._

_This doesn't deserve my time._ Albel thought. And he drifted back into a fairly undisturbed sleep.

(Present Time)

Fayt had Emma cradled in his right arm and feeling the wall with the other. The hallway was darker here because the light from Rodger and Pepita's room didn't reach this far down the hallway.

"Don't you worry Emma. We'll go down to the galley, and get you something to fill your tummy up with." Fayt said while he nuzzled his nose into her soft sandy hair.

Emma cooed and giggled at his effeminacy.

In the Galley…….

Fayt went to the fridge that was kept behind the bar, after putting Emma into the chair that he and his friends had rigged to fit her into comfortably and safely.

_OK, I probably need to put it into hot water. Sophia said to never, ever, EVER put it in a microwave._

Fayt turned on the stove top and put the pot of already warm water on top of it. He turned the dial to high. And then he turned to Emma with a smile.

"Well, I guess we just wait now. Right Emma?" He said.

He picked her up and spun around in circles to speed up the waiting time. But he made sure to cradle her head and neck to keep her safe. They spinned and laughed until Fayt got dizzy abd they had to stop.

Fayt brought the baby close to his chest to where she could see over his shoulder.

"Eeeeh?" Emma sounded while cocking her head to one side.

Fayt turned to the newcomer and came face to face with Cliff.

"What'er you doin' down here at midnight?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes to rid them of sleep.

"I'm fixing Emma a bottle because she woke up hungry."

"Nox hasn't killed 'er yet?" He exclaimed.

"No, and I'm going to make sure that he doesn't." Fayt said with determination.

"Alright," Cliff said with a shrug, "but if he does give you two any trouble just come get me. I'll make 'im pay big time!"

He ended his threat with a thumbs up, and then scurried to the fridge to munch on leftovers. Fayt walked over to Cliff and handed him his grandbaby.

"Here Cliff, hold her for a minute." Fayt said as he went to finish preparing the bottle.

He took it out of the simmering water and tested it on his wrist. It was warm but not hot. Perfect for a baby.

Fayt motioned for the older man to bring Emma to him, and they sat down in a soft, cushioned chair to start bottle feeding.

Emma cooed around her bottle and smiled at him. Her little baby hands clinging to the lid of it.

Fayt smiled lovingly down at her. He was starting to get used to being a dad. In a way he liked it, if only Albel would participate. Then things would be closer to perfect in his world.

_But that won't happen. Even if I want it to. _He thought.

Emma downed her bottle in almost fifteen minutes, and after being burped, with no spit-ups, Fayt wrapped her in her fluffy pink blankie and trotted the two of them back to their room.

Emma had fallen asleep on the way back and Fayt now had another reason to keep the noise level to the utmost minimum when he entered the room.

The room was dark, as he expected. And there was absolutely _nothing_ on the floor. You probably wouldn't have guessed that Albel 'the Wicked' Nox was a clean freak, but he was. Not that Fayt minded, of course.

He tip-toed over to Emma's makeshift crib, and gently placed her into it, covering her up as he started to move away.

"I wonder who you mother is. And why she just abandoned you like that." Fayt whispered.

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion, then turned to his bed on the other side of the crib and plopped down. He toed off his slip on shoes, took off his white t-shirt and fell back among the pillows.

After a moment of lying there, the older teen realized that he was getting cold and promptly pulled up his blankets. He then rolled over to a more comfortably position on his side.

"You know," He said, staring at Albel, "I wish you would smile more. I've seen you do it in your sleep so I know you can, but-" He was cut off by a yawn, "-you look so much more peaceful when you smile…" He said as his vibrant green eyes slipped closed.

"I wish _I_ knew what it took to make you smile like that." Fayt said and feel asleep seconds after he complemented his sleeping companion.

Albel was lying on his side with his eyes closed. He always knew that Fayt slept facing him. And now he knew why……Well he partially knew why now.

He had been watching the bluenette as he took care of the baby, and realized that Fayt had actually given him a lot of attention, but not noticeably. No one else noticed the glances that he cast toward Albel. Even when the boy thought he was being discreet about it, Albel could tell he was being watched.

The swordsman opened his eyes to look at his roommate. His sleep-ruffled hair obscuring one crimson eye.

_I don't know what you want from me, boy._ He thought. _I'm not sure if it's something that I'm even capable of giving._

Albel sat up and tossed his cover off. He walked to the crib that Emma was currently asleep in.

"I guess I'm going to end up taking care of you when he burns out." He grunted at the baby girl. Her face was covered with a pillow.

The Black Brigade Captain reached down and picked the pillow up and set it down on the floor, next to one of the legs of the crib, then turned and walked back to bed.

He laid back down and got into a comfortably position, and went to sleep.

Facing Fayt.

tbc...

Author notes…

Thank you to the people who commented on this, it means a lot

I've been meaning to update this sooner but final exams kept me from it. I hope you all like the new chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter #3**

(Author's POV)

"OH MY GOOOD!!" Cliff yelled with excitement.

"What?! What happened?" Nel exclaimed. The blonde man's scream had woken her from her relaxing sleep.

"Emma said her first word!!" Cliff giggled as he held said baby close and nuzzled her cheek. She cooed and repeated the 'word'.

"Hoojeese!"

"See? She said hoochies! That's my baby girl!!"

"Cliff," Nel said with a raised eyebrow, "You taught her how to say that?"

"Yep, I sure did! I only started her on hoochies last week! She's so smart."

Sophia then entered the den area and was quickly brought up to speed on what had happened.

"Nel, I don't think that it's as bad as you're making it out to be; as long as he's not teaching her how to be one. Right?" She said as she looked back and forth between the blonde and the red head.

"Don't let Fayt find out that you're teaching her these things." Nel said and walked off in the direction of the security room.

Right after she left, Albel walked in to the room. Everyone was quiet. He walked over to the door on the other side of the room that went to the galley and walked in.

"Did he have what I think he had?" Cliff said while staring at the door Albel went through just a moment ago. His beer forgotten for the moment.

"Yeah, I think he did." Sophia answered.

The two stared at the door to the galley and heard the water being turned on. When they heard the water being turned off, the two maneuvered over to get behind the door when it swung open.

Albel wasn't sure what had possessed him to take the empty bottle to the galley's wash station, but here he was. He hoped that no one noticed that he, was in fact, carrying a baby bottle, and so far no one had.

After rinsing the bottle out and putting it upside-down on a washrag he exited the galley to go and get his sword to train outside.

"He had a bottle." Cliff pointed out.

"Yes, yes he did. I'm going to tell Fayt about this." Sophia said and scurried off to find him.

"…He is _so_ the daddy." Cliff said while turning back to his beer.

Fayt was sitting on the overly cushioned sofa as he tried to read a stack of papers that Maria had handed to him, and demanded that he read them.

(Flashback…)

BAM!

Fayt Leingod was startled awake by a sudden loud noise. He looked up with drowsy emerald eyes at the other bluenette aboard, Maria.

"Fayt, here are some papers that you need to read if you're going to be caring for that little girl." She said with her stern voice.

Fayt looked at the large stack of papers that were in front of him.

"Could I just, you know, skim through them? Just look for key phrases?" He asked.

She just looked at him before briskly walking away to continue her duties.

_How am I going to read all of this? She's probably going to give me a test over the fine print down at the bottom that no one reads…_

(Present…)

"If I fail whatever test she gives me, I hope she doesn't take Emma away."

Maria had ungracefully dropped a very large number of packets on one of the small tables on both sides of the sofa he was using to nap on. The large packet itself contained a number of smaller packets within it.

It reminded Fayt of one of his many college books that confused him to no end. The first page was labeled: Preparing for A New Baby. Fayt flipped through it and found that it contained seventy-two, top to bottom, printed pages.

30 minutes later…….

Any person who knows how to read knows that if you can't get interested in a book within the first couple of pages then they won't want to finish reading whatever it is that they started.

This theory served true for Fayt. He _still_ wasn't done with the first chapter of, what he had dubbed, 'The Packet from Hell'.

Much, much later…..

He was now sitting on the floor, with his legs crossed under him, leaning heavily on the small wooden table in front of him.

"Fayt! Guess what I just-" Sophia said as she walked into the living room area.

"…make sure to plug all openings small enough with plastic, childproof plugs…" He said in a daze. His head was down on the table, and he had papers from the first chapter strewn all over his general vicinity.

"Fayt, wake up." She said as she poked him on the side of his head.

"I _am_ awake…I need to finish this." He said as he lifted his head up.

"Well go get some sleep, at least for a couple of hours. Since you've been reading and sleeping for the last," She glanced at the clock on the opposite wall, "…few hours, Albel was left with Emma."

"Please tell me that was a joke." He said while rubbing his red forehead.

"Nope!" She said with a smile. "Go to your room. You'll see."

"I won't find her stuffed in a pillowcase, and hanging out of a window, will I?" He asked as he rearranged the papers he was reading.

"No, but I think you'll like him even more when you see what position he's in." And she skipped off in the direction of her room.

_I hope she didn't mean anything perverted when she said that._ Fayt thought as he trudged to his room with 'The Packet from Hell'.

He hastily walked down the corridor to his and Albel's room to see what damage had been done. He knew that Emma could be a handful. And since she's almost a toddler, she loved constant attention and being played with.

Fayt gently opened the door so he wouldn't make any noise, and peeked inside. What he saw made his eyes soften.

Albel was asleep in a chair by the window, with Emma in his lap. She was awake, but looked groggy. She had just woken up.

Fayt's smile was a large one but it was soft. With a kind of fondness for the baby and the so called 'Wicked' swordsman who held her.

Well, he wasn't _really _holding her, more like leaning back with her on him. Albel's hands were linked at the fingers and Emma's little legs were under his forearms while she poked at his exposed stomach.

"Come on, Emma. Let's get you off of him and into bed where you belong." Fayt said as he unlinked Albel's hands and picked her up.

After he put her into bed, tucked her in, and gave her a kiss on the forehead, he walked back over to his sleeping companion.

_I'm glad he's finally getting some sleep, but he shouldn't do it in a chair._ Fayt thought.

"Albel." He whispered, he didn't want to startle him.

"Mn." The older man mumbled and knitted his eyebrows together.

"Get up, you should sleep in a bed." Fayt said as he lifted the other man's arm a bit.

The lifting of the arm was enough to semi-drag Albel into consciousness. He groggily blinked at the bluenette in front of him and slowly got up. Once he was in standing position, he closed his crimson eyes again after slinging an arm over Fayt's shoulders and leaning into him.

Fayt blushed scarlet at the sudden amount of physical contact. But shyly wrapped an arm around the Albel's waist, and lead him to his designated bed.

After settling him in, Fayt sat back and looked at his roommate. You couldn't deny that the man was attractive. Sure his social skills could use some work, but once you got past the death threats on a daily basis he was actually a decent guy. He was smart, and had an open mind when it came to most topics.

Fayt brushed a stray lock of hair away from Albel's face, and then leaned down to lightly kiss his forehead.

"I'm jealous of Emma now." He smiled and said.

Fayt then got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to change. He came out of the bathroom in a pair of dark blue pajama pants and no shirt.( It had been warm on the ship lately. ) He then climbed into his own bed.

After Fayt got settled and turned off his light, all was quiet.

Except for Fayt's whisper of "Sweet dreams you two." Before the room regained its silence.


	5. Chapter 5

(Author POV)

Albel didn't know what to think as he laid there in his bed. He had not meant to fall asleep with the kid earlier, but she was more trouble than he had originally thought.

(Earlier…)

She had found his smaller daggers and tossed them about the room, then she crawled away and he couldn't find her for the longest time. She was found hiding under a pile of Fayt's dirty clothes, so then he had to bathe her. She splashed around and got soap all over her and even into her eyes….Albel didn't think _anything_ could be that loud or wild when trying to be helped.

After he had gotten the soap out of her eyes and the girl, herself, washed and dried, he took her over to his roommate's bed to clothe her.

Now….Albel knew that most baby clothes were brightly colored and were made to look happy, but whatever part of Fayt's brain should've known this, was obviously on a vacation. The only clean clothes that Emma had left were very dark in color and had an ominous air about them.

He put the dark grey footsie suit on her and his first thought was: _I'm going to be eaten by a two-and-a-half year old…_

Needless to say, she looked a little creepy.

Emma even looked miffed because of the lack of pinks and little bunnies on her newly acquired suit. She had scrunched her face up and looked to current sitter as if it were his fault.

After the bath and dressing were over with, the swordsman finally decided that he should just sit down and not let her anywhere near the floor for his own sake.

He settled into a chair with so much padding that it was uncomfortable to sit straight up in. He nestled Emma into a position on his lap so she could sit up by herself, leaving Albel two free hands to inspect his throwing daggers that had been previously tossed around the room.

(Present…)

He didn't even remember when he had fallen asleep or noticed when the bluenette came into the room and helped him to bed, although he _did_ remember the kiss Fayt had given him. Albel didn't know what to think about _that_.

Sure he didn't mind the younger man as much as the rest of the people he was forced to travel with but he wasn't about to go and bring _that_ topic up in front of the rest of the group. This was his and Fayt's business; they didn't need to know anything about it.

Even though he was curious about the intentions of the kiss, he was going to say anything about it…yet.

Line…………….Line…………..Line…………….Line…………..Line………….Line….

The next morning went as it usually did. Albel got up around four o'clock in the morning, much earlier that Fayt, and went to the Galley for what little breakfast he would eat, along with his orange juice. No one knew that Albel thought as orange juice as his pick-me-up of the day, and as far as he was concerned, it would stay that way.

At around seven or so, Fayt would then get up and head to the galley for the same thing. He would have his cinnamon-apple oatmeal, and warm tea. Then, the rest of the group would meander in for the next thirty minutes to an hour. Cliff was usually the last one to show up.

"GOOOOOD morning my fellow shipmates!" Cliff said as he finally walked through the door at nine o'clock that morning.

"You need an alarm clock, Fitter." Nel said as she went to wash off her now toastless plate, and empty glass.

"Nah, my alarm is on the inside, babe." He said and poked his head of blonde hair.

One of Nel's red eyebrows twitched, "Don't call me 'babe' you idiot." She said.

"Yeah, yeah." Cliff said and waved his hand as if waving away her annoyance,

"So, how's it goin' with my baby? Huh, Fayt?" He asked.

"Everything's fine, but can you please not teach her any more words like that? I don't think it's normal for baby girls to say…hoochies…" Fayt answered.

"Eh?" Cliff said, scratching his head, "Alright, I'll just run any words I wanna teach her by you then, OK?"

"Well you don't have to, but just don't teach her words like _that_." Fayt said with a smile.

Line…………….Line…………..Line…………….Line…………..Line………….Line….

With the not-so-normal morning conversation out of the way, the group went into whatever tiny town they had accidentally landed next to. The Galley refrigerator was running low on essentials: Milk, cheese, meat products…so it was time to go shopping.

"How many eggs do you think we'll need?" Sophia asked.

"I don't know, enough to last us 'till the next town prob'ly." Cliff answered; he had just woken up and was still groggy.

"Just get enough to where each person on board has five each. If it's not enough, we can just share." Fayt proposed as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok," She said and checked off eggs from the list in her hand, "Do you think we can find soap here?"

"I don't know. Maybe they have those root things that are like soap." Peppita suggested.

"Yeah, lets go look for that." Sophia said and the two girls started their search.

The town they were currently in was…..small. Not tiny, but small. The town was friendly, and pleasant. The people were very kind to their group, and pointed them in the right direction with a smile.

There had been very few buildings in the market with closed doors. Most were open to the public and the shop keepers would advertise from the door if they weren't busy with customers.

But there was always at least one store that people with younger children did not want to see. It was a shop similar to whorehouses in the 1600's.

The women were standing outside and Fayt knew that Cliff was already lost. He wondered over to them and was instantly Mr. Popular. Some of the other ladies that couldn't squeeze in close enough looked over to Fayt and company.

"Hey honey, wanna come and talk to me?" She said, looking at Fayt.

"No thanks, we still have things to pick up." Fayt said politely. He had never been hit on by a hooker and was slightly uncomfortable by it.

"Oh, well that's fine. But maybe your sexy swordsman friend would like to take that offer." She said then, eyeing Albel.

Fayt stiffened at that. He didn't like the idea of a prostitute touching Albel. They weren't involved, of course, but that didn't mean that he couldn't imagine slowly killing that whore for touching, and possibly infecting the man he was infatuated with.

Albel wasn't even paying attention to the woman. He was eyeing some sort of sword cleaner at another stand.

The slimy woman sauntered over to Albel, and left Fayt to silently seethe.

She was over by Albel in a matter of seconds. Fayt thought he would scream when she leaned up to whisper something into his ear. She looked back at Fayt then whispered something else to him. Fayt saw the older man's head whip around to stare irritably at the prostitute. Albel then said something to the woman and her stare went from lust to rage before his sentence was even finished with.

When Albel finished what he was saying, the woman stomped back to the shop she came from, went inside and slammed the door shut.

Fayt was silent for a moment, and then walked over to the swordsman.

"Hey, what happened?" He asked.

"Nothing." Albel answered.

"Then why was she so mad?"

"I must have insulted her somehow." He said with sarcasm.

"What did you say?" Fayt prodded.

"I said I would sleep with a man before I slept with her."

"Why did she look at me?"

"She said she envied you then. I told her that you would make more money than her without even trying. Then she walked off." Albel said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"…Oh." Fayt said as he looked away to hide his blush and small smile.

_At least I don't have to worry about him sleeping with women like that and getting sick…_Fayt thought, and walked off to find Sophia and Peppita.

He could feel Abel's eyes on him as he walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

"Ooooooooooooooh! I'm so glad we found everything we needed in the market." Fayt said to himself as he dropped unceremoniously onto his bed.

He had decided to go back to the ship after all of the essential items had been accounted for. He didn't want to walk around and window-shop. He wanted to sleep. Not think about what was said to him before he left.

(Flashback….)

Sophia had stopped him before he went back to talk to him about his little encounter with the 'flirtatious' woman.

"You don't have to be jealous, you know." She said as she and Fayt slowed their pace to stray from the rest of the group.

"I'm not jealous." Fayt said irksomely. He pretended to look at anything but his best friend.

"Fayt, please. You were about to spontaneously combust when she was trying to seduce Albel." She said.

The bluenette still didn't say anything, but was now looking at her.

"I know watching that hurt a little, but-"

"You're right, I was kind of jealous…….even though I don't have much of a chance with him."

Sophia was quiet for a moment. "Don't think so negatively. You kissed him on the forehead right?"

"Yeah…why?"

"You're not dead yet." She said matter-of-factly.

Fayt blinked then smiled. "Yeah, that's true."

(End Flashback……..)

Fayt had no idea how long he was asleep for, but he knew it hadn't been for a very long time, the sun was still up.

He noticed that he was covered with a light blanket, and that the shower in the room was running.

_Albel must be back._ He thought.

Said swordsman was currently in the shower like the bluenette thought. Although he didn't _really _need to peek into the shower to find that out.

Albel had his eyes closed and his head tilted back. He was letting the water massage his skull and the back of his neck. This, he thought, was the better part of any day; when he could escape all of the idiotic tendencies of the rest on board.

He heard the quiet creaking of the door being slightly opened. He also knew that Fayt was the only other occupant on board.

"What are you doing Leingod?" He asked, not bothering to look out of his warm shower.

"Um…I just wanted to make sure that it was you, and n-not someone else." Fayt stuttered.

"Who else would come in here?" Albel said.

The two swordsmen were silent. Albel, thinking that the conversation had ended went back to his shower. He took the shampoo and lathered his long hair, making sure to cover the ends where his hair ties were.

When Albel noticed the door to the bathroom never shut he said, "What do you want?"

Fayt was quiet, thinking _he has a cute butt._

"What did you say?!"

Being shocked from his trance-like state he stuttered- "N-nothing! Sorry for interrupting you, Albel!" And he quickly slammed the door and ran out of the room.

_I can't believe that I said that out loud!!_ Fayt screamed at himself. He was halfway down the hall before he heard Albel's outraged scream.

"Leingod! Get back here!" He yelled.

He yelped and continued to run away; down the hall and into the elevator of the Diplo.

_Well, if I'm going into hiding I might as well go to Sophia's room._ He thought.

Line…………Line…………..Line…………….Line…………..

Hours later when the other arrived, back from their shopping trip, Sophia decided that she wanted to go see Fayt. Just to check on him, after all, he was all alone with Albel for a good four hours.

She knocked on the door and was about to say hello but it was swung open harshly. She was now looking into the face of a very angry samurai.

"Uhm….is Fayt here?" She asked hesitantly.

"No. But, if you so happen to see him, tell him that I need to talk to him immediately." Albel said and promptly shut the door again.

"Well that was rude." Sophia said and walked toward her own room.

"What are you doing here?" Sophia asked as she sat on her bed next to a very gloomy looking Fayt.

"I said something stupid, and now I'm hiding out." He explained.

"Like what?"

"I said he had a cute butt." He said, then started to inform as to why he said it when he saw Sophia's gleeful smile- "I didn't mean to! I was thinking it, then it just popped out! And he HEARD!!"

"But that's a good thing! Now he has an idea!" Sophia cheered.

"I don't want him to have an idea at all!"

Fayt sighed and then threw himself back onto the bed, flinging an arm over his eyes as he went.

"Sophia, he's mad at me now."

"How do you know? Maybe he's just confused."

"You didn't hear him yelling." Fayt mumbled.

"True, but I went to the room you're supposed to be in and he told me that he needed to talk to you immediately."

Fayt was silent. He had expected that. But he _really_ didn't want to go back. He had actually been afraid of what the older man had to say. He could handle rejection; he had done so many times with girls at school and even a few guys at college. All of the people who didn't accept though, they had remained friends; or at least civil and friendly.

"Fayt, go back to your room. Talk this out with him. If you don't want to tell him the truth then fib." Sophia said.

"Yeah, I guess." He said and sat up.

"Besides," She added with a smirk, "Emma is still in there with him."

Fayt gasped. He had totally forgotten about Emma. He had given her to Nel when he left town. And since they all were back now, Emma was probably put down to nap before her nightly snack. He sprinted to the door and threw a 'bye!' over his shoulder to his friend.

"What's up with him?" Nel said, coming to sit on the bed with Emma in her arms.

"He's having guy troubles." Sophia answered with a giggle.

Nel looked at her skeptically, "You told him that Emma was with Albel, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it was specifically for his own good!"

"Right."

Line…………Line…………..Line…………….Line…………..

"_He has a cute butt…."_

_Why is that bothering me?_ Albel thought lazily. He was sitting an armchair that was bolted to the floor, cleaning his sword. Apparently, it had a thought as well.

_Maybe you're jealous._ It said.

Albel scoffed and continued his cleaning, blatantly ignoring the possessed blade. He looked up sharply when his door was thrown open, and a panting and flushed Fayt rushed in.

"Where's Emma?" The bluenette asked.

"…The wench has her." Albel said slowly.

Fayt's eyebrows furled as he gathered his thoughts. They then angled down as realization hit.

"She lied!" He yelled. As he was seething over the tall tale that Sophia had told him, he completely missed the funny look Albel was giving him.

"Leingod?" Albel questioned.

Fayt snapped out of his angry trance and finally remembered where he was and who he was with.

"I'm sorry if I offended you earlier Albel." He said and looked down. Fayt suddenly felt very embarrassed.

"Why did you say it?"

"Um…because the girls think so." Fayt fibbed. He made himself sound casual as he turned around to face his bed.

"And you agree with them." He said.

"Yeah." Fayt said nonchalantly. He thought that Albel would call him on it.

Fayt heard Albel chuckle and get up from his chair. The older man walked to the door but stopped next to Fayt.

"You should practice your lying before you do this to me again, little boy." He said with a devilish smirk.

"I'll keep that in mind, 'Bel."

At the name, Albel turned and chuckled again before shutting the door and leaving Fayt alone.

_That was kinda fun._ Fayt thought with a smile.

Thanks for all of you who read this. And I'm sorry that it took a while to get this chapter out……writers block…

If I made a mistake, please tell me so I can fix it.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day was actually more comfortable in the group of travelers. Cliff wasn't trying to provoke Albel and vice versa. The girls' noticed this and were currently huddled in a complete 360 degree circle.

"What happened to put him in such a good mood, hmmm?" Mirage asked with a smirk.

"Not what you're thinking." Fayt replied.

"Obviously." She said. "If that _did_ happen you wouldn't be walking, now would you?"

Fayt didn't answer because his face was beet red and his attention was transfixed on the beautiful browns, blacks and grays of the pebbles at his feet.

"Stop teasing him. At least they aren't fighting." Nel said.

"Yet." Peppita countered. "Cliff was sayin' that it's about time he started to loosen up and Albel told him to go jump off a bridge."

Mirage looked at the thirteen year old. "I heard that too, but it still isn't as bad as what they normally throw at each other."

The group nodded in agreement, and then was quiet as the older women watched Peppita run off to play with Rodger.

Maria turned a sly smile on to Fayt.

"I saw that you had a little banter with Albel yesterday." She said.

"Oh, really!?" Mirage and Sophia exclaimed.

"What happened?" Nel asked.

Fayt hung his head and his blue hair covered his eyes and hid his smile. He had totally forgotten about the cameras in every room. Maria said that it was for surveillance purposes but Fayt thought that she was abusing the power Cliff had given her.

"Nothing really. Just…the day before yesterday, when we all went into town to shop, he came back to the room and got into the shower while I was asleep. I went to the bathroom to check that it was really him and caught a glimpse of his…backside."

"And what did you say, huh?" Maria asked.

"I said that he had a cute butt."

Nel smiled and readjusted Emma on her hip. "Well done. It's about time you made a move on him."

"Yeah! That's great Fayt." Sophia agreed.

"What else happened?" Maria asked.

Line……….. Line……….. Line……….. Line………..

"_You should practice your lying before you do this to me again, little boy." Albel said with a devilish smirk._

"_I'll keep that in mind, 'Bel."_

Line……….. Line……….. Line……….. Line………..

Fayt smiled and looked up at the female occupants of the ship. "Nothing. That was it." Then he walked off after taking Emma from Nel.

"That was weird." Mirage said.

"Yeah, it was." Nel agreed.

Emma then began to cry and stretch her pudgy, baby arms out toward Fayt.

"I think she's hungry. You should feed her." Nel said while handing the little girl over to him.

"We were thinking about going window-shopping later tonight when they light all of the lamps. Would you like for us to wait for you?" Mirage asked.

"No, I'd like to stay in tonight. I miss playing with her." Fayt answered.

"Ok. Have fun 'mom'." Maria said with a laugh. And the three left to get ready for the excursion.

Fayt smiled at them and headed inside with the cranky Emma. He cooed lovingly at her to calm her as he warmed the bottle of milk in an old cast iron pot.

" 'omma hungy!" Emma whined.

"I know Emmy, but you have to let the bottle warm up first." He said.

Emma seemed to understand what he said by starting to cry again. Fayt tried bouncing her up and down on his hip while singing funny lullabies, but it didn't seem to work.

"When will you learn to keep that brat quiet?" Albel voiced from the left of Fayt.

"She can't help it 'Bel. She's just a child." He said, hoping Albel wouldn't notice the name change.

"Well she- What did you call me?" He said. Fayt guessed that he would notice.

"I called you 'Bel. I'm sorry, but if you don't like it, tough. I'm not going to call you by your name until you start helping me with Emma."

_Oh my GOD!! When did I grow a back bone? And why does it have an attitude? _Fayt thought as he looked at his roommate.

Albel was also in a similar state of shock. But also in a sort of admiration. No one had ever dared to speak to him like that.

"I never said I would help."

"I don't care! Someone needs to help me, and you're the only one here right now, so can you _PLEASE_ just hold her for a while?" Fayt exclaimed, while trying to hold onto a squirming Emma.

Albel's eyes narrowed significantly as he stalked towards Fayt. The bluenette turned slightly to shield Emma from any sort of anger Albel might unleash on him due to his earlier outburst.

The older swordsman, when he got close enough, stretched out his good arm and wrapped his partially gloved fingers around Fayt's throat.

"Don't you ever speak to me like that again, you worthless excuse for a human." He sneered, and Fayt could almost feel the venom dripping from those words. "I give more lenience to you and your inane group of imbeciles than you, or they deserve. Don't. Test. Me." Albel finished, and with each new, threatening word tightened his grip around the boy's neck.

Fayt's green eyes were wide with apprehension and fear. His hold on Emma had tensed as well. But, Fayt thought, at least she wasn't crying anymore.

Instead, the girl had wrapped both of her small hands around Albel's wrist and was looking at him with an angry and slightly worried look.

"Be nice to 'omma, daddy." She said.

Albel inhaled and was about to say something unfit for the child's ears, but Fayt beat him to it.

"It's alright Emma; we were just…play-fighting."

"Daddy was mean; he should kiss and make up."

Albel looked ready to kill and Fayt was shocked speechless. He managed to get his question out even with Albel's hand round his throat.

"Who told you that?"

"Sophie said that mean people should kiss and make up."

"Well-" 

"If I kiss him will you shut up?" Albel asked in annoyance. Fayt looked paler than a ghost and Emma just nodded happily.

The younger man wanted to protest, really he did. But he found that near impossible thanks to Albel.

He had pulled Fayt's head closer to his with the hand around his neck and forcefully pushed his lips against the others'. Albel kept his eyes open and was aptly watching Fayt's expressions. He saw panic, then a slight hint of enjoyment, then a sliver of what he thought was disappoint men or guilt as his green eyes slipped closed. The first he expected but the other two were surprising to him.

He pulled away when Emma's claps and giggles were heard. And he saw the severe blush staining the boys' cheeks.

"O-ok Emma, we made u-up. Let-ts go get your b-bottle." Fayt said. But as he walked away, Albel stopped him.

"You wanted that, didn't you."

"Can we please talk about this later?" Fayt begged, while cradling Emma as best as his panicked emotions would allow. He then ran up the stairs and slammed the door. Fayt tucked Emma in and turned on her fish mobile. She was asleep in moments.

Fayt on the other hand was crouched in the corner, with his now clammy, sweaty hands in his hair. He was almost to the point of crying but stopped for his prides' sake. Instead, he got up and locked the door. He knew Albel wouldn't let this topic go, but he would be damned if he was talking about the kiss now.


	8. Chapter 8

Albel was, to a point, not as surprised as he thought he would be. But, he didn't expect Fayt to take it as bad as he did. The first line of thought that went through his head was that the bluenette had already locked the door to their shared room, and wouldn't open it for anyone. Not even the female brunette. The next thought was the kiss itself was…nice.

The swordsman remembered now that Fayt had smelled nice; like mint (no doubt from the gum he sometimes finds.) and, strangely, like strawberries. He remembered that the other's lips were cool, and slightly moist, making them soft. Another startling thought was that he could recall placing his hands on the bluenette's slender hips, with his thumbs being slipped under the bottom of the tight, light blue shirt to press onto his hip bones.

_I need to talk to him about this._ Albel thought, and headed towards his room…and Fayt.

Line……….Line…………Line…………Line………….

"Fayt?" Sophia asked as she knocked on her friend's door for the umpteenth time.

Fayt was silent on the other side of the door.

"I know you're in there. Maria has the cameras hooked up, remember?"

Again, he was silent.

"Fayt…tell me what happened. Was it something with Albel?" She asked, then a thought came to her, "What did he do?!" She said angrily.

"He didn't do anything Sophia." Fayt mumbled.

"Fayt, that has got to be the biggest lie I have ever heard from you, now tell me what happened." She coaxed with a gentle voice.

"I have to work this out with him by myself this time."

"But-" She started.

"No, I need to do this on my own, Sophia, so please stay out of it." He said and could tell she was pouting on the other side of the door.

"Fine, me and the other girls won't butt it. But you're not doing anything productive by sitting in your room with the door locked."

"…I know that…"

Sophia was about to say something but was stopped by the approaching footsteps coming down the hallway. She grinned happily and said goodbye and good luck to her friend.

"Look Fayt, just unlock the door so we can bring you some food later. If we leave it in the hall, Rodger or Cliff might eat it."

"I will." He answered.

"I'm not leaving until I hear the lock turn." Sophia said.

There was an audible click as the locks to the door were disabled.

As she walked away, she turned to look at the swordsman.

"Take care of him, and if he wants to talk don't interrupt him. And if he starts to freak out give him a paper bag-"

"You're making him sound like a toaster." Albel said, "I'll listen to what he has to say, and he'll listen to what I have to say."

Sophia looked at him with an unreadable expression, but turned and walked off. Undoubtedly going to Maria to watch the ordeal play out.

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Albel opened the door and crept inside. He knew that angering Fayt now would severely hurt any chances he had of getting answers to his questions. So he decided to be _nice_ and use the boy's first name.

"Fayt?"

The boy in question whipped his head around and stared at him as though he were a child with his hand in the cookie jar. But he didn't say anything, he just stared.

"Can I ask you a few questions, with out you bolting out of the room like a scared animal?" Albel said, while attempting to relax him with his poor sense of humor.

"Please don't hate me!" Fayt cried. "You were right. I _did_ want it but I didn't want you to take it the wrong way! You have to believe me, I was going to tell you eventually, but I was trying to get up the courage to!" By the end of his little outburst, the bluenette was in tears, with his head down and his fists bunched into the bottom of his shirt. He was extremely happy that he had left Emma with Sophia.

"I don't hate you. Calm down, you're acting like a woman. Just tell me what happened to you."

"You are what happened to me!" Fayt yelled, his disposition turning 180 degrees. "I was having a normal enough life just going on my happy way, trying to defend the world and then _**you**_ popped in and screwed everything up!"

"Don't turn this around and make it look like my fault! If you would only explain yourself then this problem you seem to be having would disappear!" Albel countered.

"I've been trying to but whenever I think I have your attention you go off on Cliff!"

"Then explain yourself now!"

"I CARE!!" Fayt yelled with eyes closed in anger. After the outburst, he lowered his head and clenched his jaw and his fists at his sides.

Albel was uncertain as to how to proceed from this point. He was sure that what the boy said was important, but he couldn't understand why. He sighed and brought his hand up to rub the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"What or who do you care about, Fayt…" He asked lowly.

"I thought that it would be obvious at this point." Fayt answered, moving his hands from his sides to his hips.

"Well, it isn't so be more creative."

"Arrhg! You are being SO dense! Who do you think I care about!?" Fayt yelled again.

"Don't forget your place boy! I don't know who you care about other than that brown haired wench, and I honestly don't care! So just tell me and be done with it!!" Albel yelled back.

"I care about you! You stupid jerk! I don't know why but I do, so there!!"

"Good for you. You're only hurting yourself. Now, go back to your woman and leave me alone." Albel said. He walked to the door to his and Fayt's shared room and pressed the button to open it for the bluenette.

Fayt, now looking ready to kill, marched over to the older swordsman and slammed his hand onto the button that controlled the door. Albel narrowed his eyes at him in curiosity and irritation.

"What are you doing fool." He demanded.

"Shut up." Fayt said and leaned forward and wrapped his smaller fingers around one of the other's ear-tails and pulled. He was expecting the look of surprise to cross Albel's face as their lips collided again. This time much harder, and this time it was Fayt who took the lead.

TBC…………….

I hope I did alright. And I'm extremely sorry that it has taken so long to get this out. With school and work, I've been busy. But I hope you all like it!!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter #9

Hey guys...sorry it took me so long to get this thing up...i kinda hit a very violent writer's block on how i wanted this to part to go. But i hope all of you are still with me, and are not too mad...o hugz to all!!

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Albel stood still. Rigidly still. For some reason, this side of Fayt was attractive to him. His eyes slowly slipped shut and he let the bluenette take the lead, let him do whatever he wanted.

Fayt let his tongue slide across the others' teeth and the roof of his mouth. The bluenette's hands slid up from Albel's collarbone and into his hair, massaging the scalp. He absently wondered why he wasn't cut down for this sudden display of closeness for his unabashedly stoic brigade leader. But whatever, he thought, if he wasn't getting hurt, might as well continue.

The bluenette stepped closer and gently pushed his smaller body against Albel's. His lips curved into a small smile when he felt calloused fingers tugging him closer by his belt loops.

Albel, though actually enjoying the sensations caused by Fayt, decided for the both of them that, now, they needed to discuss some very important things. By biting down on the other's bottom lip, he ended the kiss.

Fayt breathed in deep as he looked to the ground, not wanting to meet the swordsman's eyes. For he knew he would see regret, and disappointment. He knew that's what Albel thought of him now. He was just a faggot to him now.

Albel watched the bluenette as he wallowed in his shame. But for the life of him Albel didn't understand why the boy felt this way. Back on his planet men could be with men, and women could be with women. It was nothing to be ashamed of. For him, it was normal.

"Look at me Leingod."

"No."

"At least you're growing a backbone with me now. But that wasn't a request." Albel smiled; a slight upturn of his lips. "Now look at me."

Fayt stayed quiet but he reluctantly lifted his head of blue hair.

"Why are you ashamed?"

"It's wrong to feel this way about another man." He said.

"Why do you think so?"

Fayt lifted his head to stare at Albel disbelievingly, "That's how it's always been! Men are not supposed to be attracted to other men. It's a sin."

"Who told you that?" The older man asked. He was getting tired of these questions, and wished for the boy to hurry up and recognize his point: That it doesn't matter what the society thinks, but what _you_ think…….and feel.

"It's what everyone says. It's looked down on."

"You are an idiot," Albel said, his patience finally gone, "Always thinking of other people before yourself. Who cares what they think, what do you think?"

"I..I'm not sure."

"A fool's answer. So answer me this- Why did you kiss me?"

"I wanted to. You already know that."

"Then why are you so worked up about what people on your planet think? We are not even on your planet anymore."

"Yeah, but you don't under-" Fayt started.

"No buts. Before you wish to start anything like this with me again, you need to think it out so it is clear to you first. I will not be a boy's plaything." Albel stated with no emotion on his face. And walked out of the room.

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(Fayt's POV)

Well…this sucks. I was left in the room and watched Albel walk out of it. I don't know what to think now. What he said makes sense though. We're _not_ on my planet anymore, so the opinions shouldn't matter. But growing up in that world where same sex relations were wrong takes a toll on the mind more than you'd think.

I mean, look at the effect it's having on me...

I really do care about him. And it hurt when he said he was a 'plaything' for me. He doesn't understand how much more important he is to me. I know it sounds cliché, but I really do think that I love him…in at least one sense of the word. Well…I think I'm falling in love with him anyways.

I guess the only way to prove to him that I'm serious is to……..make 'me' official.

This is _so _gonna suck.

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The next morning I woke up and went into the bathroom before Emma had a chance to wake her self up. At least I was sure she wouldn't leave me…

After I splashed some ice water in my face, I grabbed Emma when she started to make little sounds of hunger. We then made our way down to the galley, to face my fate.

When Emma and I entered, I was nauseated to see that everyone showed up. And when I mean everybody…I mean everybody. Cliff, Nell, Mirage, Maria, Sophia, Adray, Peppita, Rodger…and of course Albel were all there.

I gulped down my panic attack that threatened to overwhelm me and walked as calmly as I could over to Sophia.

"Fayt…are you alright?" She asked as I handed her Emma. "You look all pale and sickly."

I smiled weakly at her and took my hands away after she had Emma secure within her arms. "I'm fine Sophia, just kind of jostled at the moment. Nothing to worry about."

She looked at me an instantly understood why I was so scared. She has been there with me for as long as I can remember, and I was so happy that she could read me so well. Sophia looked over at the group of our friends and eyed them suspiciously. She seemed to turn over ideas on how to start the subject I needed to get onto…

"So…" She started, "You all remember that guy that was hitting on Cliff in that bar a few nights ago?"

….Smooth Sophy……real smooth.

Cliff choked on his morning coffee and stared t her in shock.

"There was a fag hittin' on me and I wasn't aware?!"

"Well, there's no reason for you to call them such a derogatory name……" Sophia said while setting a bottle into the pot of water on the small stove for Emma's breakfast.

Cliff snorted and sipped at his coffee again, "Well that's what they are, ya know. What else am I gonna call 'em? There ain't any other uses for them, so I'll call 'em as I see 'em."

After Cliff said that Albel looked at me and stared with empty eyes….no doubt waiting for my reaction.

I looked over to see Sophia in the kitchen area with Emma on her hip, a bottle in the little girls' mouth. The other girls, as I scanned the room, were all looking expectantly at me as well.

"Well, Cliff, what would you do if there was a homosexual person in our group?" I said, turning away and fixing up the small end table again.

Cliff guffawed and slapped his knee, "Well, that's a good laugh there! The only other person who could be a fag, and I know everyone will agree with me, is Albel. I mean, look at him! He's wearin' I friggen skirt!"

Cliff continued to laugh and completely lost the look Albel and I were giving him.

"He's not the one I was talking about…"

"Wha? What are you talkin' about? Who else could it be?"

I closed my eyes and heard Sophia whisper my name in concern. But I was determined to do this by myself….Albel had to understand that I wanted this….that I wanted him. I needed him to understand that my feelings were real for him.

"What if….what if I was the fag?"

"…" cliff stared at me for a moment, along with everyone else in the room. I noticed that Albel had stood up and was watching me and Cliff with a cautious expression. Then a strained smile started to play over the blonde man's features. "You're joshin' me, right? You're with Sophia."

Why does everyone always say that?? We are JUST friends!

"No Cliff, I'm gay, and I want to be with someone else!!" I said, finally loosing me patience.

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(Albel's POV)

I stared at the scene unfolding before me. The first thing I noticed was that, as I was staring at the bluenette, Fayt had taken on a countenance of fear, and panic. The second was that the blonde buffoon was advancing on the man that now belonged to me.

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(Author's POV)

Fayt looked on in a sense of numbed fear. Cliff was angry. And he was angry with him. He backed away, and into the end table he was earlier trying to tidy up.

As Cliff advanced, Albel did as well. Striding, with quick, sure steps past the older man and in front of Fayt.

"Get outta the way Nox!" Cliff all but growled as he reached around the swordsman and roughly grabbed Fayt's upper arm, yanking him into standing position. "We need to have a little talk, Fayt." He said, pulling Fayt along behind him.

Albel stared with narrowed eyes as he grabbed Cliff's wrist and jerked it off of Fayt, twisted it behind the man's back, and up to this shoulder blades.

"Aaaaarrhhggg! You stupid cross dresser! That hurts! What are you doing!" Cliff screamed.

"Shut up and listen to me." Albel said quietly, "Fayt has gone through a lot of trouble trying to get the courage to tell you all this, and you fools _will_ respect him for his bravery. If he so chooses to be the way he is now, then you will accept him for it. Understand?"

Cliff struggled as Albel held him at bay, "Why do you suddenly get off tryin' to actually protect someone? Why do you choose to do it now, when you're always callin' us all 'fools', 'maggots', 'worms' and stuff? Why try to be part of the group now?!"

"Because." Albel answered and released him with a hard push that sent Cliff tumbling to the ground in a heap of curse words and limbs.

The swordsman walked over to Fayt, who had been left standing in front of the table, and lifted a hand to place it on the younger man's cheek. In a soft, and very un-Albel voice he asked- "You're not hurt?"

Fayt shook his head with wide eyes before a small smile graced his face. He looked over to Cliff, who stared wide eyed, and with a gaping mouth at them, and Fayt said- "He's the one I like Cliff."

After those six words, the blonde promptly fainted.

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Thanks for readin!! comment if you get the chance!!


	10. Chapter 10

(Fayt POV)

"Cliff!!" the girls exclaimed, as they rushed over to him. I was worried about him, don't get me wrong but I wasn't about to go over there and check myself. And through all the excitement I suddenly found Emma in my arms, after I had been helped to my feet by Albel. He looked on at Cliff, and I couldn't understand his face. He looked calm but at the same time, almost….troubled?

He shouldn't feel that way, if he was. All of this was my fault because I wanted to take care of Emma. This probably never would have happened if we just took her to an orphanage…but I wouldn't change my decision to keep her…not ever.

"'Omma sad." Emma said as she leaned her head on my shoulder and wound her little arms around my neck.

"No, I'm not sad Emma." I rubbed her back to soothe her.

By that time Sophia came over to me and gently gave me a hug, careful not to squish the little girl. Nel followed and then Maria, Mirage, and Peppita. Adray was gathering Cliff, no doubt to deposit him in his own room until he woke back up. The older man was being decidedly understanding about this whole ordeal, so I handed Emma to Albel to help him with Cliff.

"I'll take her to our room." Albel said, and I gave him a grateful smile as I turned to Adray.

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I took one side as Adray took the other and together we hoisted Cliff into a limp standing position between us. "Thank you much, Fate. Almost didn't think I could get him up there be my lonesome." He said with a grin.

"Well, it's kind of my fault that he's in this predicament. Most guys don't tend to take the fact that a friend is….gay…very well, you know?" I say as I glance over to ease my way into the elevator. I adjust Cliff's arm over my shoulder for better leverage before hitting the button that will bring us to the blonde's floor.

"Cliff comes from a different society than some on the ship. So it is easy to understand why he acted out like he did. In fact, I'm surprised that Sophia took it as well as she did. Unless, of course, she had prior knowledge?" He said, seeming to already know she knew about me.

"Yeah…," I admitted, " she knew…I've known her for as long as I can remember. She was always the first one I'd tell if I was having a problem. She was really supportive, even from the beginning. But…what about you? You took it….well. I mean, well….better than Cliff did anyway." I finished with a raised eyebrow in his direction.

Adray laughed, his toothy smile comforted me for some reason. "Fayt, Albel's and my culture…is not like your own, or Cliff's for that matter. You see, our people don't think anything of same sex relations…be it intimate, or friendly. It doesn't matter to others, on our planet, who you sleep with. As long as they take care of each other."

"Oh." I said. My head tilted down to hide my eyes as I thought. I remembered when I kissed Albel…the time I started it, and realized why he had been so calm about it. And why he had asked me questions about my own world, and their views on relations between men and women.

The ding of the elevator brought me out of my mind and back to the present, as Adray and I drug Cliff to his room. I opened his door, and we brought him inside and laid him down on his bed.

"You go on back to the others. I'll take care of him up here, and make sure he gets a stern talking to when he wakes up." Adray said; his grin back in place. I nodded my thanks, and gave a smile of my own, then headed back down to the galley.

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When I arrived, the girls were in between being overjoyed that I was finally out,(and that Albel approved), and upset over the way Cliff had acted. Sophia was the first to congratulate me, and wanted to know if Albel and I were in a relationship already.

"Well…I don't think we are. A lot of things have happened in a short amount of time, and I honestly don't want anything like marriage right now. And I think he will agree with me. I think we should go slow for a while."

"I think that's a wonderful idea Fayt," Nel said, coming up behind me and giving my shoulder a firm squeeze, "And don't you worry about Cliff, the girls and I have a way to make sure he sees you for the wonderful young man that you are. We'll make sure that he's nice to you and Albel." She finished with a smirk and a glint in her eyes that made me almost worry about the older blonde man upstairs.

"Wooooo! That's right, Nel. You show him who's boss!" Mirage yelled as Nel headed to the door. She then turned to me with a smirk, "Don't worry about that, her plan was a little scary, but Sophia toned it down.

"Well, I don't think we need to do anything drastic right now. Besides. I think it was just a shock to Cliff. I'm sure he'll calm down about it, he's probably just worried about you, Fayt." She said. She gave me a hug and then walked off toward the galley saying something about needing a drink. The other girls followed, but Peppita lingered behind.

"So…Do you really like Albel that much?" She asked.

"Yeah…He's really not that bad, he just takes some getting used to." I smiled. She made a face as she thought my answer over, then smiled toothily.

"I think it's a good thing you two like each other, Albel's a lot happier now, and it's nice to not get yelled at all the time."

I laughed and watched her skip to the galley. The girls were right, Cliff would get over it. He would go back to teasing both of us, like he always had and things would go back to normal.

I started walking back to my shared room…and Albel, and Emma. I thought on the way, about how much I owed Emma. I mean, I know she's a toddler, but without her I never would have done anything to further things with Albel. But since she came into my life I've been so much happier. And even though it sounds cliché, my life right now is perfect.

END

I am soooooo sorry it took me so long to get this out, and that its so short….. I know it probly sucks as an ending but writers block can do that to a person.


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